Blog
Insights on production scheduling, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing software from 35+ years of industry experience.
Everything we have published.
Changeover Time Reduction: SMED Guide with Formulas and Strategies
Reduce manufacturing changeover times by 40-60% using SMED methodology. Includes changeover time formulas, industry benchmarks, step-by-step implementation, and scheduling optimization techniques.
Cost Per Unit in Manufacturing: Calculation, Benchmarks, and Reduction Strategies
Calculate manufacturing cost per unit accurately with formulas for material, labor, and overhead allocation. Includes benchmarks and strategies to reduce unit costs through scheduling optimization.
First Pass Yield (FPY): Formula, Benchmarks, and Improvement Guide
Calculate first pass yield accurately, compare against industry benchmarks, and implement strategies to reduce rework and scrap. Includes rolled throughput yield and scheduling connections.
Inventory Turnover Ratio: Calculation, Benchmarks, and Improvement Strategies
Master the inventory turnover ratio with calculation formulas, industry benchmarks by sector, and proven strategies to improve turns while maintaining service levels and avoiding stockouts.
Machine Downtime Tracking: Reason Codes, Formulas, Pareto
How to track machine downtime: the reason codes to log, availability, MTBF and MTTR formulas, Pareto analysis of downtime causes and benchmarks for reducing it.
Manufacturing Cycle Time: Definition, Formula and Efficiency
What is cycle time in manufacturing? The definition, the formula with a worked example, manufacturing cycle efficiency, benchmarks and how to reduce it.
How to Reduce Manufacturing Lead Time: Formula and Strategies
Queue time is 80 to 90% of manufacturing lead time. Get the lead time formula, lead time efficiency benchmarks and the scheduling steps that cut it 30 to 50%.
On-Time Delivery Metric (OTD KPI): Formula and Benchmarks
On-time delivery KPI formula: orders shipped by the promise date / total orders x 100. Worked example, OTD vs OTIF, benchmarks and fixes for late orders.
Production Efficiency Calculation: Formulas, Benchmarks, and Optimization
Calculate production efficiency with OEE, TEEP, and throughput efficiency formulas. Compare against industry benchmarks and implement strategies to improve manufacturing efficiency by 15-25%.
Schedule Adherence KPI: Formula, Benchmarks, and Improvement Guide
Master the schedule adherence KPI with calculation formulas, manufacturing benchmarks, root cause analysis for adherence failures, and strategies to achieve 95%+ schedule compliance.
Scrap Reduction in Manufacturing: Formula, Benchmarks, Fixes
How to reduce scrap in production and assembly: scrap rate formula with a worked example, benchmarks by industry, root cause tools and scheduling fixes.
Throughput Rate in Manufacturing: Formula, Benchmarks, and Optimization
Calculate manufacturing throughput rate accurately, compare against industry benchmarks, and apply proven optimization strategies to increase production output without adding capacity.